Museveni set to honour Kiprotich

By James Bakama

WORLD marathon champion Stephen Kiprotich will today be treated to a presidential feast in recognition for his triumph in Moscow.

President Yoweri Museveni will at his upcountry home in Rwakitura host Kiprotich and the rest of the team that represented Uganda at the just concluded World Athletics Championships.

This is one of several welcome functions that have been organized for Kiprotich who won the world meet in the Russian capital last Saturday.

It will be the second time Museveni hosts Kiprotich. The athlete was also the president’s guest last August when he also won gold at the London Olympics. That time the Olympians were hosted at State House, Entebbe.

That time Museveni rewarded Kiprotich with sh200m and also offered to build for the athlete’s parents a residential house. 

The Kapchorwa house has been completed and the parents will soon occupy it.

Today’s function will be the last that Kiprotich will be attending in Rwakitura this week. From Rwakitura he heads east to his home district of Kapchorwa where more welcome activities have been organized. 

“I want to move out of the city and rest a bit,” said Kiprotich yesterday.

After the festivities he will be cooling off for a month before he begins planning for his next competition.

Kiprotich and his teammates were on arrival from Moscow on Monday hosted at State House, Entebbe by Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi. Mbabazi congratulated Kiprotich and said the high altitude center in Teryet, Kapchorwa, whose construction begins next year, will be named after the athlete in recognition for his achievements.